certified public accountant

What is a CPA? What Can a Certified Public Accountant Do For Your Business?

It is absolutely crucial to your business for you to ensure that the books are well-managed. This is especially true at tax time. You have a lot to do as a small business owner.  You have customers to support, you have services to offer, and goods to create and sell. That is why engaging a Certified Public Accountant is one of the best things you can do for your business. They can provide CPA services for small businesses, including tax preparation and planning.  In this article, we will look at who is a CPA and what they can do for your business.

Let’s start by looking at what it takes to be a CPA.  In order to earn the designation of a certified public accountant, a professional accountant must be licensed by the Board of Accountancy for their state.  The goal of providing qualified accountants with the title of CPA is to maintain a high quality of professional standards for the accounting industry.  That way when a business owner looks to hire a small business accountant, they will be confident that the person they hire will be able to provide the best possible accounting services.

There are a number of requirements that must be fulfilled to become a CPA and not all accountants are Certified Public Accountant.  You must have a bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or accounting, complete 150 hours of education, and have at least two years of accounting experience.  Finally, you must pass the Uniform CPA Exam.  Once you gain the CPA designation, you also have to complete continuing education hours every year to retain it.

Now that you know what it takes to be a CPA, let’s look at CPA services for small businesses. How can a CPA help your business?

  • Tax planning and preparation for a small business can be very complex. Owners know it is coming every year but they aren’t always prepared. A CPA will take care of all that. They can help streamline your bookkeeping so you have everything prepared at tax time. They prepare your taxes and keep you in compliance with tax regulations and get you deductions.
  • CPA services for small businesses go beyond bookkeeping. A CPA can do a complete audit of financial records. They have the expertise to provide advice about your financial operations and taxes.
  • A certified public accountant will give you more time. They can handle many of your bookkeeping and tax issues and allow you to focus on your customers and other work. Sometimes it can be difficult for a business owner to delegate, particularly on financial matters, but having an expert CPA can really give you back a lot of time.
  • When you decide to hire CPA services for a small business, you may wonder if it is worth the money. A CPA can help save you money by reviewing your financial records and tax obligations then helping you with day-to-day operations and reducing your tax burden. Clearly, a CPA can be a true asset to your business!